By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

AS government officials moved to demolish a shabby house at the intersection of Peter Street and Blue Hill Road yesterday, emotional pleas from a family member to preserve the building clashed with the wishes of its long-time occupant, who welcomed the intervention.

Kennedy Jean Rolle, 65, who had lived on the property since 1959, acknowledged his lack of necessities.

“I don’t have no housing, no electricity, nothing like that,” he said. “But in the meanwhile, I tried, I tried to be concerned about myself and my community. I have no record. I don’t commit no crime, but I try to communicate with people and make sure that they’re safe.”

Despite his willingness to knock down the structure, his sister, Florence Rolle, was on-site yesterday, pleading that the structure not be destroyed.

“The property does not belong to my brother alone,” she said.

She said all the siblings collectively owned the property and that the section where her brother was living was not originally designated for him. She recounted that after a fire destroyed the house in 2007, she was forced to relocate, while her brother remained behind.

Over the years, she said his struggles with alcoholism prevented him from properly caring for himself, leading to the dire conditions he was found living in today at age 65. While she expressed no objection to him being relocated by the government, she emphasised that her only concern was preserving the existing structure, as she hoped to eventually renovate it when financially able, especially following the recent passing of her husband in January.

She also pointed to a nearby empty lot on the same family property, which she said could serve as a more appropriate location for her brother to rebuild. She argued that the current building was not the only one in the neighbourhood in poor condition and stressed that the land was family-owned.

Housing Minister Keith Bell, however, said the government was compelled to act due to public health and safety concerns.

“Imagine a society’s maturity and development is determined by how it takes care of its elderly,” he told reporters. “No one in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas ought people be living in such squalor conditions.”

He described the conditions inside the home as uninhabitable, pointing out that the structure had no roof integrity, no running water, bathroom, or electricity. He said that during a previous visit, he found the elderly resident sleeping on a filthy mattress, and the stench inside was overwhelming. With no windows and extensive decay throughout the structure, he stressed that the building was beyond repair and needed to be demolished.

The government has relocated the couple to a newly renovated rental unit on Finlayson Street with electricity, running water, bathroom facilities, furniture, and food. Mr Bell said they would not be charged rent and could stay there indefinitely.

He said the government planned to relocate the couple immediately into the new facility and move forward with demolishing the existing structure. He said the goal was to replace it with a building that meets proper standards for human habitation.

The move is part of the broader Clear, Hold, Build programme aimed at revitalising inner-city communities and dismantling gang infrastructure.

He said the government’s actions reflect its commitment to inclusion and ensuring that no one — man, woman, or child — is left behind, not only in tackling crime but also in addressing broader social challenges. In response to objections and personal criticisms from family members, he maintained that the decision to demolish the structure was made in the public’s best interest. He argued that the conditions were too hazardous to ignore, especially given the recent spate of fires, and said the government was confident that relocating the residents and removing the building was the right course of action for their safety and for the community.

Responding directly to criticisms of his handling of the situation, including suggestions he had personal bias, Mr Bell said: “First of all, it does not matter how their family member wishes to characterise him. For us, all of us, are equal in the sight of God, and let he who is without sin cast the first stone or forever hold your peace. We are here to bring peace and love and harmony to that couple, to ensure that at the end of the day, no one is left behind.”

When he entered the newly provided government residence, Mr Rolle was overjoyed and went straight to the bathroom.